Resources for the online discussion on awareness regarding LMOs

Welcome to the Resource section for the online discussion on awareness regarding LMOs. Under operational objective 1.4 of the programme of work, Parties and the Secretariat were invited to identify, document and exchange through the BCH case studies on best practices and lessons learned in promoting public awareness, education and participation concerning LMOs. Under priority area 6 to the programme of work, Parties, academia, relevant organizations and media are encouraged to provide case studies in the Biosafety Clearing-House and through other means and use relevant tools and guidance materials produced by relevant organisations such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Culture Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme, among others.

In this regard, the purpose of the resource section is for all Governments and other stakeholders to use and exchange case studies, notes and proposals.

In its decision BS-V/13, the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (COP-MOP) adopted a programme of work on public awareness, education and participation concerning the safe transfer, handling and use of living modified organisms for the period 2011-2015. At COP-MOP 8, it was extended to 2020 with 7 priority areas.

The Secretariat developed a communication plan in accordance with the operational objective 1.1 and 2.1 of the program of work. It will raise the profile of the Protocol and guide the country to set in place a system to promote public awareness, education and participation regarding LMOs. It recommends and prioritizes specific activities to be taken to raise awareness, promote education and build partnerships. In this regard, it is meant to address the limited awareness, understanding and collaboration on communication activities of the importance of biosafety.

Under operational objective 2.1 of the programme of work Parties are invited to conduct baseline surveys to ascertain the level of public awareness and evaluate public awareness of the issues regarding LMOs. the Secretariat has developed a survey form template that could be adapted, expanded and used by Parties in undertaking the above activity.

As part of the ongoing support to assist Parties and other stakeholders in the implementation of the programme of work, the Secretariat has produced the above video on the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. The video contains messages regarding the main provisions of the Protocol.

Communication and outreach are crucial for the effective implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. The webpage contains: statements, presentation templates, photo gallery, factsheets/banners, newsletter, news articles, press releases, publications, biosafety media network, social media sites, national videos/messages and more of the 10th anniversary of the Protocol.

National Biodiversity Strategic Action Plan (NBSAPs) Forum on Biosafety is based on the following: In 2014, the COP 12 encouraged countries to integrate biosafety and access and benefit sharing into NBSAPs and other relevant sectoral and cross-sectoral policies, plans and programmes. It also called for a strengthening of national mechanisms to facilitate a coordinated approach to the implementation of the Convention and its Protocols (Decision XII/29, paragraphs 9-11).

The information material is entitled: Sustainable Biotech Innovation. It outlines the role of Biosafety South Africa is a national service platform under the auspices of the Department of Science and Technology and the Technology Innovation Agency. It provides biosafety-related information.

This presentation at the CEPA Fair during COP-MOP 7 outlined the experience and lessons learned from the communication activity to stakeholders in the Republic of Korea. It outlines activities also by the Korean Biosafety Clearing-House, including a communication strategy, annual awareness survey, seminars, blogs, pubilcations, debates etc.

The Republic of Korea has a GMO Communication Programs for Students. Based on an awareness that there is a difference in the interest levels and positions regarding LMOs among the social classes, the Korea Biosafety Clearing House conducted a GMO Communication Program for the various strata, students in particular, in order to heighten recognition and understanding of GMOs.

This document contains a summary of information of many of the recent pubic awareness initiatives in the Czech Republic related to biosafety issues. It includes information on strategies (e.g. State Environmental Policy, Sustainable Development Strategy of the Czech Republic, Biodiversity Conservation Strategy, Strategy for Cooperation of the Czech Republic with FAO, Strategy on Food Safety), FAO Regional Training Workshop, BIOTRIN, Cooperation with the Czech Union of Scietific-Technical Societies – Czech Society for the Environment, information from the Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Agriculture and information for public in radio broadcasting.

The Biosafety Information Centre is a website set up and managed by Third World Network. The goals are, among others, to: Increase knowledge on, and deepen understanding of, (w)holistic approaches for a comprehensive assessment of technologies and techniques that involve genetic engineering
Contribute to a wider public discussion and critical understanding of the scientific, ecological , social, economic and ethical dimensions of genetic engineering under the rubric of biosafety and to contribute to the enhancement of the biosafety capacity of policy makers and regulators in developing countries. The center has information on, among others, new articles/updates from a Biosafety Information Service, meetings, campaigns, publications, including briefs.

An exhibition is hosted annually by McGill University, at the Redpath Museum, among others, to raising awareness of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. Posters, banners, booklets and other promotional materials were displayed. Resoruce people from the SCBD were also attending the event to respond to questions by the public. The events, are attended each year by about 4,000 visitors.

The African Biosafety Network of Expertise (ABNE) (NEPAD Agency) Guideline on Communication for Biosafety Regulators outlines, the purpose, importance and activities to undertake of biosafety communication. It can be used as a training resource for new biosafety officers or as a reference document for biosafety offices.

The Caribbean Biosafety Risk Communication Workshop was held in 2016 and facilitated by the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), sought to enhance the skills, knowledge and capacity of key personnel with the regulatory system to communicate effectively about the potential risks from GMOs

The Food and Agriculture Organizations of the United Nations (FAO) Regional project on Capacity Building in Biosafety of GM Crops in Asia known as ‘Asian BioNet” put out this training manual to assist countries to develop the government people and scientists to become more effective agents and carriers of information on products of modern technology. This manual was the main output of the Regional Training Workshop on Public Awareness and
Participation conducted in Manila, Philippines in 2004 by the ‘Asian BIoNet’ for the project participating countries. Tools and procedures included were jointly designed with the participants, who were mainly government officers and researchers, with the idea of putting the regulators and scientists in the
forefront to make them reach out to the public.

The survey reports in this record include results from baseline surveys conducted by various Parties, other Governments and relevant organizations as part of the implementation of the programme of work. The survey reports are from the European Union, Cambodia, Lithuania, Thailand and Republic of Korea.

The presentation the "Importance of Proactive Planning in Public Awareness on LMOs" was by Ivan Lukanda Department of Journalism and Communication, Makerere University. It was presented at the Africa Regional Capacity –building workshop on public awareness, education and participation concerning the safe transfer, handling and use of LMOs. The workshop reports are available at https://www.cbd.int/meetings/BSWSCBLMO-AP-01 and https://www.cbd.int/meetings/BSWSCBLMO-AFR-01

The presentation "Introduction to public awareness and education: Key concepts, tools and approaches" adopted from Paul Mundy and Bob Huggan was held at the two capacity-building workshops on Article 23 held in Africa and Asia. The workshop reports are available at https://www.cbd.int/meetings/BSWSCBLMO-AFR-01 and https://www.cbd.int/meetings/BSWSCBLMO-AP-01

The presentation on "Engaging and Using the Media to Promote Public Awareness of Biosafety" adopted from Paul Mundy and Bob Huggan was held for the two SCBD workshops on Article 23 in Africa and Asia. The workshop reports are available at https://www.cbd.int/meetings/BSWSCBLMO-AFR-01 and https://www.cbd.int/meetings/BSWSCBLMO-AP-01

The presentation "Press conferences" adopted from Paul Mundy and Bob Huggan was held during two SCBD workshops on Article 23 in Asia and Africa. The workshop reports are available at https://www.cbd.int/meetings/BSWSCBLMO-AFR-01 and https://www.cbd.int/meetings/BSWSCBLMO-AP-01

The report is from the Regional Workshop on Risk Communication with the support of UNEP/GEF Phase II Capacity-building project on biosafety in 2016. The aim was to illustrate the approach that Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Government of India is using for risk communication in the risk messaging in the area of biosafety. The workshop was attended by Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.

Risk Communication Strategy for India was part of UNEP/GEF Phase II Capacity-building Project on Biosafety for India in 2016. The strategy includes, among others, Strategic Objective 1: Fulfillment of Obligation around Article 23, Strategic Objective 2: Building Organizational Trust in the Purveyors of Information on Biosafety and Strategic Objective 3: Building Public Trust in India’s Regulatory System. It also highlight the priority and means to implement the strategy, additional Professional Development in implementation of Strategic Objective 1 and feedback and conclusions from Strategy to implementation.

The document on: Training Course Materials for Risk Communication Workshop" was part of the related workshop supported by the UNEP/GEF Phase II Capacity-building Project on Biosafety in India in 2016. It outlines, among others, the synopsis, pedagogy/Andragogy, sample Agenda, the learning outcomes and assessment. It also includes information from group Exercises on message maps.

The document is based on an outcome of a workshop entitled: Experiences in sub-Saharan Africa with GM crop risk communication". The workshop was organized by the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) in collaboration with the University of Mauritius and the Food and Agricultural Research Council, in 2011, in Mauritius. In sub-Saharan Africa there are various and innovative risk communication approaches and strategies being developed, yet a comprehensive analysis of such data is missing. The provided an overview of current strategies, identifying similarities and differences between various country and institutional approaches and promoting a way forward, building on a recent workshop with risk communicators working in sub-Saharan Africa. The countries included were South Africa; Tanzania; Uganda; 5Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives; Tanzania; Kenya; Nigeria and Burkina Faso. The organizations included were the African Biosafety Network of Expertise (ABNE) and the African Union/New Partnership for Africa’s Development.

The pubilc communication tools for UNEP-GEF Regional Project for the Implementing National Biosafety Frameworks in the Caribbean Sub-Region, include factsheets, brochures and videos related to biosafety.

The Biosafety Resource Book developed by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has a chapter on Risk analysis process: risk communication, including when to communicate about risk, applying risk communication principles in risk analysis and facilitating public engagement in the risk analysis process.

The information resource website entitled “GMO Answers” is for the public to understand more about the science and regulation of plant biotech crops. It has videos, articles, infographs, information resources and among others. GMO Answers is funded by the members of the Council for Biotechnology Information, which includes BASF, Bayer, Dow AgroSciences, DuPont, Monsanto Company and Syngenta.

Plan related to Communication of Biosafety Issues from Mexico is entitled: PROGRAMA DE TRABAJO BIENAL DE LA COMISIÓN INTERSECRETARIAL DE BIOSEGURIDAD DE ORGANISMOS GENÉTICAMENTE MODIFICADOS CIBIOGEM 2017-2018
or
Biennial Program of Work 2017- 2018 (PTB 2017-2018)
Also available at ptb-cibiogem_2017-2018_communication.docx